Tamil actor convicted of rape

Tamil actor Mansoor Ali Khan has been convicted and sentenced to undergo seven years' rigorous imprisonment by the Principal Sessions Court in a rape case.

Principal Sessions Judge S Ashok Kumar gave his verdict for offences under section 376 (1) of the Indian Penal Code (for rape) and six months simple imprisonment for offences under section 417 of the IPC (for cheating). The sentences would run concurrently, he decreed.

The chargesheet said that Khan had run an advertisement in the newspapers for a woman secretary for his real estate business. And one Sneha Sharma applied for the post.

Khan, on December 8, 1996, took her to a hotel at Vadapalani, Tamil Nadu, and gave her a drug-laden drink. She fell unconscious; he raped her.

He did appoint her as his secretary later, and had sex with her, promising to marry her. When Sneha Sharma became pregnant and asked him to marry her, he threatened to kill her.

Judge Kumar also imposed a fine of Rs 3 lakhs to Khan, which shall be paid to the victim for her maintenance and the child born through the accused.

Khan was later taken to the central prison in Madras.

UNI